Chapter 4 Notes from A Passage to India

A Passage to India Chapter 4

The Collector, Mr. Turton, sends out invitations for the Bridge Party to several Indians in the neighborhood. Mahmoud Ali discusses the news of this party with the highly educated and most prominent Muslim landowner in the area, Nawab Bahadur. Mahmoud Ali is skeptical of Turton's intentions for throwing the party. He says that the English only sympathize with the Indians from a distance, but Nawab Bahadur tells Ali, "It is easy to sympathize at a distance. I value more the kind word that is spoken close to my ear." Chapter 4, pg. 35Nawab Bahadur also says that Turton speaks to his ear and he listens, therefore he will drop his plans and attend the party. Someone overhears this and tells Nawab Bahadur that he is making himself cheap by attending the function. He replies saying that the invitation was worded graciously and there was no reason to feel cheap. Due to Nawab Bahadur's influence among Indians (as well as English) he convinces many people to attend the bridge party.

Two missionaries discuss God and whether God would exclude anyone from his home--including animals. They begin to run through hypothetical groups that might be excluded, all the way down to mud. One of the missionaries says: "No, no, this is going to far. We must exclude someone from our gathering, or we shall be left with nothing." Chapter 4, pg. 38